Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.18.25
कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञासीद्यस्येशाभिहितस्य च ।
भूतध्रुक् तत्कृते स्वार्थं किं वेद निरयो यत: ॥ २५ ॥
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñāsīd
[krimi-vid-bhasma-samjnaaseed]
yasyeśābhihitasya ca
[yasyeshaabhihitasya cha]
bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ
[bhoota-dhruk tat-krite svaartham]
kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ
[kim veda nirayo yatah]
Word-for-word
kṛmi
—
worms
viṭ
—
stool
bhasma
—
ashes
saṁjñā
—
name
āsīt
—
becomes
yasya
—
of which (body)
īśa-abhihitasya
—
although designated as king
ca
—
also
bhūta-dhruk
—
he who harms others
tat-kṛte
—
for the sake of that
sva-artham
—
his self-interest
kim veda
—
does he know
nirayaḥ
—
punishment in hell
yataḥ
—
from which.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñāsīd
kṛmi
worms
viṭ
stool
bhasma
ashes
saṁjñā
name
āsīt
becomes
yasyeśābhihitasya ca
yasya
of which (body)
īśa-abhihitasya
although designated as king
ca
also
bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ
bhūta-dhruk
he who harms others
tat-kṛte
for the sake of that
sva-artham
his self-interest
kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ
kim veda
does he know
nirayaḥ
punishment in hell
yataḥ
from which.
When dead, the bodies of all the rulers known as kings and great leaders will be transformed into worms, stool or ashes. If one enviously kills others for the protection of such a body, does he actually know the true interest of life? Certainly he does not, for if one is envious of other entities, he surely goes to hell.
Purport
The material body, even if possessed by a great king, is ultimately transformed into stool, worms or ashes. When one is too attached to the bodily conception of life, he is certainly not very intelligent.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
For maintaining his body which has been defined as worms, stool and ashes, the king, in committing violence, does not know his own benefit, since he will go to hell as a result.
After death the body of he who is called a king, if remaining for two or three days becomes worms. If eaten by dogs, it becomes stool. If it is burned by sons, it becomes ashes. That has been the definition of the body of a king, since this has been seen from examples of previous kings. Past tense is used.
Does one who commits violence to other beings, for maintaining his body, know his own benefit? He does not, because he goes to hell. This implies that Indra is without intelligence. She also is without intelligence because she wants to kill Indra. One can see that both she and Indra commit violence, both are hard-hearted, and both do not know their own benefit. In this way a person with real intelligence can determine the lack of discernment of unintelligent people.
Personal Guidance
When dead, kings' bodies become worms, stool or ashes — does one who kills others for such a body know his real interest? The body for which we kill is itself perishable.
Reflection Questions
- Whose body am I protecting at others' cost, and what is its final fate?
- What does that fate say about my priorities?
My note
Source: vedabase.io